Form cylinder interrupter to aid in printing cylinder removal



Sept. 8, 1964 MART|N 3,147,700

FORM CYLINDER INTERRUPTER TO AID IN PRINTING CYLINDER REMOVAL Flled Oct. 1, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTQE/VEY 3,147,700 41m IN Sept. 8, 1964 R. E. MARTIN FORM CYLINDER INTERRUPTER TO PRINTING CYLINDER REMOVA 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1, 1962 I? /Wv LlA' PIE FIE- E INVENTOR. :eALPHfi MflEfI/V XMM ATTORNEY Sept. 8, 1964 R. E. MARTIN FORM CYLINDER INTERRUPTER TO AID IN PRINTING CYLINDER REMOVAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct.

INVENTOR. ,PILP/r E. M4577 flfw FIE-EL 5 Sept. 8, R. MARTIN FORM CYLINDER INTERRUPTER TO AID IN PRINTING CYLINDER REMOVAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 1, 1962 INVENTOR. EAL P E. MART/Al United States Patent 3,147,700 FORM CYLINDER WTERRUPTER TO All) IN PRINTING CYLINDER REMOVAL Ralph E. Martin, Fort Worth, Tex., assignor to Clary Corporation, San Gabriel, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Oct. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 227,219 11 Claims. (Cl. 101218) This invention relates to improvements in rotary printing presses having either rubber or offset plate type printing or plate cylinders.

In a press of this type it is desirable to have means which allow an operator to quickly and easily remove and replace the printing cylinders and thereby prevent excessive down time of the press.

Many of the presses of the prior art require removal of the printing cylinders endwise through openings in the side frames which means partial dismantling of one or more side frames as will as time consuming adjustment and alignment of such cylinders.

Therefore a principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel means for controlling the form rollers so that at least one of them can be moved into a position to allow free access to the printing cylinder for removing and replacing the same laterally between the side frames without having to dismantle the latter or the cylinder bearings.

Another object is to reduce the necessity of readjusting a printing cylinder each time it is removed and replaced in a press.

A still further object is to provide an improved means for removing the ink and water form rollers from engagement with the printing cylinder when the press is stopped.

The manner in which the above and other objects of the invention are to be accomplished will be readily understood on reference to the following specification when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side sectional elevation view of part of a continuous web printing press embodying a preferred form of the invention and showing the relative positions of the various cylinders and rollers when the press is operating.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional elevation view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the control linkage for the form rollers.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional elevation view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the control linkage actuated and said rollers in their inoperative or normal positions.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view showing the transfer roller and printing cylinder and is taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the air cylinder and is taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the locking means for locking one of the form rollers in position to permit removal of the plate cylinder and is taken along the line 6--6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the air pressure control 7 system.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary section view taken along the 'line 88 of FIG. 1.

The press is comprised of a pair of side frames 11 and 12, FIG. 4, having arranged therein an array of rollers and cylinders rotatably mounted therebetween, FIG. 1.

An upper group of rollers is provided for distributing ICC The ductor roll 16 is rotatably mounted on a pair of cam followers 17, of which only one is shown. Each cam follower is rockable about a stationary shaft 18 and carries at its opposite end a roller 19. The roller cooperates with a continuously rotating cam 21 in such a manner that the ductor roller will pick up ink from the fountain roller 14 during rotation of the latter. Then, through a spring 22 the ductor roll is shifted into rolling contact with a continuously rotating distributor roller 23 thereby trans ferring a film of ink thereto An idler roller 24 is rotatably mounted in bearings in the side frames intermediate the distributor roller 23 and a vibrator roller 25 and is located in rolling engagement with the same thereby transferring the ink from the roller 23 to roller 25.

The vibrator roller 25 is controlled by means familiar to the art which reciprocates said roller axially as it rolls in engagement with the roller 24, thereby distributing the ink to a pair of intermediate rollers 26 and 27 which are in rolling engagement therewith.

A vibrator type ink transfer roll 28 is fixed on a continuously rotating shaft 29 to transfer ink from rollers 26 and 27 to a pair of form rollers 31 and 32 which are supported by rockable supports 33 and 34, respectively.

The supports 33 and 34 are rockably supported for movement about the axis of the transfer roll shaft 29, juxtaposed one end of the roll, and a second corresponding set supports 33 and 34 are juxtaposed the opposite end of the roll 28.

The supports 33 and 34 are shown in FIG. 1 as being held in their downward or operative positions by means to be described later, for engaging the form rollers 31 and 32 in rolling contact with the plate cylinder 13 during operation of the press.

A lower group of rollers is provided for distributing water to the plate cylinder 13 and comprises a water fountain roller 35 rotatably mounted in hearings in the side frames and cooperating with a water tray 36 to transfer a film of water to a water vibrator type transfer roll 37 through a ductor roll 38. The ductor roll 38 performs in the same manner as the aforedescribed ductor roll 16.

The vibrator roll 37 is mounted on a continuously rotating shaft 40 and is in rolling engagement with a water form roller 39. The roller 37 reciprocates axially in a manner similar to the aforementioned roll 28.

The form roller 39 is mounted on a pair of support arms 41 which are pivotally supported for movement about the axis of shaft 40, juxtaposed the opposite ends of the roll 37. The arms 41 are shown in FIG. 1 in their forward or operative positions whereby the roller 39 is held in rolling engagement with said plate cylinder 13.

The plate cylinder 13, which is in continuous rolling engagement with a blanket cylinder 42 during operation of the press, transfers ink images onto the periphery of the blanket cylinder so that as the latter cylinder rotates, impression roller 43 which rotates at the same peripheral speed and tangentithereto will press a continuous strip of paper 44 against the cylinder 42 thereby transferring the ink images from the blanket cylinder to the paper.

The form rollers 31, 32 and 39, when in their inoperative positions shown in FIG. 3, are retracted from engagement with the plate cylinder by respective compression springs 45, 46 and 47 (see also FIG. 8) mounted in cavities 48 in the side frames. The springs urge respective can ming blocks 49 against pins 51, 52 and 53 which project laterally outward into the cavities 48 and are mounted on respective supports 33, 34 and 41.

The form rollers are manually moved to their operating positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and for this purpose a handle 136 (FIG. 4) is provided, the latter being mounted on a rockable shaft 72 carrying spaced gears 73 which mesh with teeth 74 of respective carnming slides or actuating members 75, FIG. 4.

The slides 75 are slideably mounted in recesses 76 in the side frames and each has formed thereon a set of camming lobes 77 and 78 engageable with respective pins 51 and 52 on the form roller supports 33 and 34. Thus, when the handle 136 is activated to rotate the shaft 72 clockwise in FIGS. 1 and 2, the slides 75 move leftward from their positions shown in FIG. 3 to cam the form roller supports 33 and 34 to move the form rollers 31 and 32 into contact with the plate cylinder 13. Concurrently, an arm 71 on the shaft rocks a lever 62 counterclockwise about a support shaft 64 to likewise rock a lever 61 through a link 56. The lever 61, which is pivoted at 63, engages a pin 65 on an arm 66 fixed on a shaft 67 carrying cams 68. As the lever 61 rocks counterclockwise, it permits a tension spring 50 to likewise rock the arm 66 cans ing cams 68 to rock the support arms 41 clockwise to engage the water form roller 39 with the plate cylinder 13.

The press is started by manually closing a main switch 54 (FIG. 7) to complete a circuit to the press drive motor 121 and to a 3-way solenoid operated valve 128 of any well known type. The latter is connected by way of a fluid conduit 160 and pressure regulator 127 to an air supply 161. The valve is connected by a second conduit 162 to one end of a cylinder 55 having a piston therein operatively connected to the aforementioned link 56 and is vented by a third conduit 163 to the atmosphere. When the switch 54 is closed the valve 128 communicates the interior of the cylinder 55 with the atmosphere so that the form rollers can be actuated manually. However, when the switch 54 is opened to stop the press the valve communicates the interior of the cylinder with the air supply, causing the piston to raise the link 56 which through the linkage above described rocks the form roller supports to release the form rollers from engagement with the cylinder 13, as depicted in FIG. 3.

The plate cylinder support means is illustrated in FIG. 4 wherein an air chamber 84 is rigidly mounted in the side frame 11 in axial alignment with the cylinder 13 and projects outwardly thereof. The chamber is comprised of a cylinder 85 having a cap 86 threaded on the outer end thereof which seats against a suitable seal mounted in the cylinder.

Slideably mounted in the cylinder 85 and axially aligned therewith is a piston 87 having an axially aligned recess 30 therein for rotatably supporting, through bearings 89 and 91, a live center spindle or cylinder support 92. The spindle is formed with a frusto-conical tip 93 at its supporting end which seats in a mating surface 90 in a bearing block 94 recessed in the end of the cylinder and concentric therewith.

The opposite end of the cylinder is supported by a driving live center spindle or cylinder support 95 rotatably supported in a pair of bearings 96 and 97 mounted in a cylindrical housing 98. The latter is slideable axially a limited amount in a cylindrical bearing sleeve 99 secured in the side frame 12, but is prevented from rotating by a key 100 interconnecting the housing 98 and sleeve 99 with the frame 12.

The spindle 95 also has its supporting end formed into a frusto-conical tip which seats against a mating surface 105 in a bearing block 106 recessed in the end of the cylinder 13 and concentric therewith.

Just behind the seating surface of the spindle 95 is a collar 1106 which prevents the support from slipping out of the bearings 96 and 97. The collar carries a key 107 which mates with a slot 108 in the cylinder 13 to provide a positive drive connection between the support and cylinder.

The piston 87 has rigidly mounted thereon an extension 109 which projects through an opening in through the cap 86 to rigidly support a cross head 112 (see also 'FIG. The latter has holes on opposite ends thereof 4 which slide over studs 115 and 116, mounted in the side frame 11.

Compression springs 117 and 118 surround respective studs 115 and 116 between the side frame 11 and the member 112, tending to move the member and piston outwardly to release the tip 93 from its socket so as to permit the cylinder 13 to be withdrawn from the press. However, normally, air pressure applied within the cylinder, as will be described later, prevents outward movement of the piston by the springs 117 and 118.

The spindle 95 extends outside the side frame 12 and has mounted thereon a gear 119 that is continuously driven through a gear train (not shown) when the press is in operation, the gear train being driven by the motor 121 (FIG. 7). The gear train does not form any part of the present invention, and is omitted for the sake of brevity.

For axially adjusting the cylinder 13, there is provided a gear 122 mounted on a shaft 123 rotatably mounted in bushings 124 in respective frames 11 and 12. At the opposite end of the shaft is mounted a suitable hand operated ratchet mechanism 125.

A hollow gear 101 meshes with gear 122. Screw threads 103 on an inner peripheral surface of the gear 101 thread onto a mating set of threads on the surface of an. outwardly projecting portion of the housing 98. The gear is held to the frame 12 by guide brackets 126 (only one shown), which allow the gear to rotate but prevent axial movement thereof. Thus, by rotating the shaft 123 in an appropriate direction the spindle 94 can be adjusted axially in either direction.

Air under pressure is applied through a flexible conduit (FIGS. 4 and 7) from the pressure regulator 127 to the interior of the cylinder 85 to provide a constant end thrust against the spindle 92 regardless of the axially adjusted position vof the plate cylinder. It will be noted that the conduit 150 is attached to a fitting on the extension 109, which extension has a passage 171 therein opening into the interior of the cylinder.

In order to prevent accidental release of the plate cylinder 13 in the event the supply of air should fail, a latch 131 is provided, the latch being pivotally supported on the cross head 112 and spring urged by a compression spring 132 to locate a latching shoulder 133 over a lip 134 of the cap 86. Normally, when air pressure is applied, the latching shoulder 133 is spaced slightly from the lip 134 to hold the plate cylinder snugly on its bearings but if the air supply should be cutoff the resultant slight leftward movement of the spindle 92 until the latch engages the end cap 86 would be insufiicient to completely release the plate cylinder.

It will be noted that, due to its relatively small diameter, the plate cylinder is substantially surrounded by the blanket cylinder 42 and the spaced form rollers 31, 32 and 39. The latter roller 39 normally forms an obstruction tov lateral removal of the plate cylinder from under the form roller 31 since the distance between the rollers 31 and 39 is less than the diameter of the plate cylinder when the rollers are in either their operative positions izhown in FIG. 1 or their inoperative positions shown in When it is desired to remove the cylinder 13, the operator first stops the press and cuts 011 the air supply to the cylinder 85, as by closing a valve 173 in the air supply conduit 150, then, by means of the handle 136, he rotates the shaft 72 counterclockwise causing the slides 75 to move to the right toward their dotted line positions shown in FIG. 3. As the slides approach such positions a pin 139 on the side of each thereof strikes a shoulder 138 on the corresponding roller support 33 driving it clockwise to its dotted line position 141 and thereby moving the roller 31 into a dotted line position 142 to provide a space for removal of the plate cylinder laterally between the roller 31 and the roller 39.

To hold the roller 31 in its dotted line position during removal or replacement of the cylinder 13 there is provided a latch 143, FIGS. 1 and 6, pivotally mounted at 144 to the frame 12. The latch swings transversely to the travel of the adjacent slide 75 and normally rests in its vertical position indicated by the full lines in FIG. 6 under the influence of gravity. When the slides 75 are moved to their extreme righthand positions shown in FIG. 3 to raise the form roller 31, the latch may be swung into its dotted line position 143a behind the cam lobe 78 of the slide. The latch will then be held in latching position by frictional engagement of the cam lobe 78 therewith to thus hold the roller 31 in raised position.

Once the roller 31 is located in its raised position the operator releases the latch 131 from the lip 134, allowing the springs 117 and 118 to fully retract the piston 87 and spindle 92, releasing the cylinder 13 for removal laterally between the frames.

To install a new cylinder, the operator inserts such cylinder through the opening between the rollers 31 and 39, positioning the drive end of the cylinder on the spindle 95 after aligning the slot 108 with the key 107. The bearing surface 90 on the opposite end of the cylinder is then aligned approximately with the spindle 92. While holding the cylinder in this position with one hand, the operator pushes the cross head 112 inwardly with his other hand against the action of the springs 117 and 118 until the latch catches on the lip 134 which loosely positions the spindle in the bearing 94. Upon admitting air under pressure to the cylinder 85 the plate cylinder will be accurately aligned and proper bearing pressure applied without any adjustment required.

It can be seen that the conical shapes of the spindle and their mating bearing surfaces, along with the axial adjusting means therefor, provides a simple and accurate aligining means which obviates the need for adjustment each time the plate cylinder is replaced.

Means are provided to automatically stop the press in the event the supply of air to the cylinder 85 drops to a point where the piston 87 can no longer safely cause the spindle 92 to hold the plate cylinder 13 in proper alignment. For this purpose, a pressure operated switch 174 (FIG. 7) of conventional construction is attached to the conduit 150 and has its electrical circuit 175 connected to an actuating solenoid 176 associated with the main switch 54. Thus, if the switch 54 is closed and the air pressure drop in the conduit causes closing of the switch 174 a circuit will be completed through the solenoid 176 to open the switch 54.

Although the invention is described in detail in its preferred embodiment and therefore certain specific terms and languages are used herein, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is illustrative rather than restrictive and that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a printing press having a plate cylinder, a frame, cylinder support means on said frame at opposite ends of said cylinder, and means carried by said frame and cooperable with one of said support means to effect axial movement of'said support means relative to said frame and said cylinder for selectively releasing or supporting said cylinder, the combination comprising a pair of form rollers, roller supports supporting said rollers for movement about a common axis into and out of rolling engagement with said cylinder, motor means for operating said press, means for controlling said motor means to start and stop said press, a control device including an actuating member, means responsive to said controlling means upon stopping said press for moving said actuating member in one direction to a predetermined position, means responsive to movement of said actuating member to said position to move said supports whereby to move both said rollers a predetermined distance from said cylinder, means forming an obstruction normally preventing lateral removal or replacement of said cylinder, the distance between said obstruction and one of said rollers being normally less than the diameter of said cylinder, means for moving said actuating member in said one direction beyond said predetermined position, and means responsive to further movement of said actuating member in said one direction for swinging said one roller away from said obstruction sufficiently to permit lateral removal or replacement of said cylinder between said 0bstruction and said one roller.

2. In a printing press having a plate cylinder, a frame, cylinder support means on said frame at opposite ends of said cylinder, and means carried by said frame and cooperable with one of said support means to effect axial movement of said support means relative to said frame and said cylinder for selectively releasing or supporting said cylinder, the combination comprising a pair of form rollers, roller supports supporting said rollers for movement about a common axis into and out of rolling engagement with said cylinder, a camming member engageable with said roller supports, means for actuating said camming member in either of two directions from a neutral position, said camming member being effective when moved in one of said directions to cam said supports whereby to move said rollers into engagement with said cylinder, spring means responsive to movement of said camming member into said neutral position for moving said supports whereby to remove said rollers a predetermined distance from said cylinder, means forming an obstruction to the removal of said cylinder laterally, the distance between said obstructions and one of said rollers being less than the diameter of said cylinder, and means operable by said camming member upon movement thereof in the other of said directions from said neutral position for engaging the support for said one roller to swing said one roller away from said obstruction sufficiently to permit lateral removal of said cylinder between said ohstruction and said one roller.

3:. In a printing press having a plate cylinder, a frame, cylinder support means on said frame at opposite ends of said cylinder, and means carried by said frame and cooperable with one of said support means to effect axial movement of said one support means relative to said frame and said cylinder for selectively releasing or supporting said cylinder, the combination comprising a pair of form rollers, a pair of roller supports supporting respective ones of said rollers for movement about a common axis into and out of rolling engagement with said cylinder, a third form roller, a third roller support supporting said third roller for movement into and out of rolling engagement with said cylinder, a camming member engageable with said pair of roller supports,

means for actuating said camming member in either of two directions from a neutral position, said camming member being effective when moved in one of said directrons to cam said supports whereby to move said pair of rollers into engagement with said cylinder, spring means responsive to movement of said camming member into said neutral position for moving said supports whereby to remove said pair of rollers a predetermined distance from said cylinder, the distance between said third roller and one of said form rollers being normally less than the diameter of said cylinder, a projection on the said support supporting said one roller, and means operable by said member upon movement thereof in the other of said directions from said neutral position for engaging said support to swing said one roller away from said third roller sufficiently to permit lateral removal of said cylinder between said one roller and said third roller.

4. In a printing press having a plate cylinder, a frame, and cylinder support means on said frame at opposite ends of said cylinder for rotatably supporting said cylinder, and means carried by said frame and cooperable with one of said support means to effect axial movement of said one support means relative to said frame and said cylinder for selectively releasing or supporting said cylinder, the combination comprising a pair of form rollers, roller supports supporting said rollers for movement about a common axis into and out of rolling engagement with said cylinder, a camming member engageable with said roller supports, said camming member being effective when moved in one direction from a neutral position to cam said supports whereby to move said rollers into engagement with said cylinder, spring means responsive to movement of said camming member into said neutral position for moving said supports whereby to remove said rollers a predetermined distance from said cylinder, motor means for operating said press, means for controlling said motor means to start and stop said press, means responsive to said controlling means upon stopping said press for moving said camming member into said neutral position, means forming an obstruction to the removal of said cylinder laterally, the distance between said obstruction and one of said rollers being less than the diameter of said cylinder, and means operable by said camming member upon movement thereof in an opposite direction from said neutral position for engaging the support for said one roller to swing said one roller away from said obstruction sufficiently to permit lateral removal of said cylinder between said obstruction and said one roller.

5. In a printing press having a plate cylinder, a frame, and cylinder support means for rotatably supporting said cylinder in said frame, the combination comprising a pair of form rollers, a pair of roller supports supporting respective ones of said rollers for movement about a cornmon axis into and out of rolling engagement with said cylinder, a third form roller, a third roller support supporting said third roller for movement into and out of rolling engagement with said cylinder, a camming member engageable with said pair of roller supports, said camming member being effective when moved in one dlrection from a neutral position to cam said supports whereby to move said pair of rollers into engagement with said cylinder, spring means responsive to movement of said camming member into said neutral position for moving said supports whereby to remove said pair of rollers a predetermined distance from said cylinder, the distance between said third roller and one of said form rollers being normally less than the diameter of said cylinder, motor means for operating said press, means for controlling said motor means to start and stop said press, means responsive to said controlling means upon stopping said press for moving said camming member into said neutral position, means for moving said camming member in the opposite direction from said neutral position, and means operable by said camming member upon movement thereof in said opposite direction for causing said support to swing said one roller away from said third roller sufiiciently to permit lateral removal of said cylinder between said one roller and said third roller.

6. In a printing press having a plate cylinder, a frame, cylinder supporting means on said frame at opposite ends of said cylinder, and means for causing said supporting means to release said cylinder, the combination comprising a form roller, a support supporting said roller for movement into and out of rolling engagement with said cylinder, a camming member engageable with said support, means for actuating said camming member in one of two directions from a neutral position to cam said support whereby to move said roller to a first position in engagement with said cylinder, spring means effective upon movement of said camming member to said neutral position to move said support whereby to move said roller to a second position a predetermined distance from said cylinder, means forming an obstruction normally preventing lateral removal or replacement of said cylinder, the distance between said obstruction and said roller when in said first or second positions being less than the diameter of said cylinder, and means operable by said camming member upon movement in the other of said directions from said neutral position for swinging said roller away from said cylinder sufficiently to permit lateral removal or replacement of said cylinder between said obstruction and said roller.

7. In a printing press having a plate cylinder, spaced side frames, cylinder support means on said side frames at opposite ends of said cylinder, and means carried by one of said side frames and cooperable with one of said support means to effect axial movement of said one support means relative to said cylinder for selectively releasing said cylinder to permit lateral removal of said cylinder between said side frames or for rotatably supporting said cylinder; a form roller adjacent said cylinder, means for guiding said roller for movement toward and away from rolling engagement with said cylinder, means normally maintaining said roller a predetermined distance from said cylinder, means forming an obstruction to lateral removal of said cylinder, the distance between said obstruction and said roller normally being less than the diameter of said cylinder, a manually controlled member selectively movable in either of opposite directions from a neutral position, means operable by said manually controlled member when moved in one direction from said neutral position to move said roller into rolling engagement with said cylinder, and means operable by said manually controlled member when moved in the opposite direction from said neutral position to move said roller away from said cylinder and beyond said predetermined distance whereby to enable removal of said cylinder laterally between said obstruction and said roller.

8. In a printing press having a plate cylinder, spaced side frames, cylinder supporting means on said side frames at opposite ends of said cylinder, and means carried by one of said side frames and cooperable with one of said support means to effect axial movement of said one support means relative to said cylinder for selectively releasing said cylinder to permit lateral removal of said cylinder between said side frames or for rotatably supporting said cylinder; a first and a second fluid transfer roll, a form roll in rolling engagement with said first transfer roll, a first form roll in rolling engagement with said first roll, a second form roller in rolling engagement with said second transfer roll, supports supporting said rollers for movement about the axes of the said respective transfer rolls and into and out of engagement with said cylinder, spring means normally maintaining each of said rollers a predetermined distance from said cylinder, the distance between said rollers normally being less than the diameter of said cylinder whereby to prevent removal of said cylinder laterally between said rollers, a manually controlled member selectively movable in either of opposite directions from a neutral position, means operable by said manually controlled member when moved in one direction from'said neutral position to concurrently move said rollers into rolling engagement with said cylinder, and means operable by said manually controlled member when moved in the opposite direction from said neutral position to move one of said rollers beyond said predetermined distance whereby to permit removal of said cylinder laterally between said rollers.

9. In a printing press having a plate cylinder, spaced side frames, cylinder support means on said side frames at opposite ends of said cylinder, and means carried by one of said side frames and cooperable with one of said support means to effect axial movement of said one support means relative to said cylinder for selectively releasing said cylinder to permit lateral removal of said cylinder between said side frames or for rotatably supporting said cylinder; a form roller adjacent said cylinder, means for guiding said roller toward and away from rolling engagement with said cylinder, means normally maintaining said roller a predetermined distance from said cylinder, means forming an obstruction to lateral removal of said cylinder, the distance between said obstruction and said roller normally being less than the diameter of said cylinder, a manually controlled member selectively movable in either of opposite directions from a neutral position, means operable by said manually controlled member when moved in one direction from said neutral position to move said roller into rolling engagement with said cylinder, means operable by said manually controlled member when moved in the opposite direction from said neutral position to a second position to move said roller away from said cylinder and beyond said predetermined distance whereby to enable removal of said cylinder laterally between said obst-ruction and said one roller, and a latch for latching said member in said second position against return to said neutral position, said member being effective upon movement in said opposite direction beyond said second position to enable said latch to release said member for return to said neutral position.

10. In a printing press having a plate cylinder, spaced side frames, cylinder support means on said side frames at opposite ends of said cylinder, and means carried by one of said side frames and cooperable with one of said support means to effect axial movement of said one support means relative to said cylinder for selectively releasing said cylinder to permit lateral removal of said cylinder between said side frames or for rotatably supporting said cylinder; a form roller adjacent said cylinder, means for guiding said roller toward and away from rolling engagement with said cylinder, means normally maintaining said roller a predetermined distance from said cylinder, means forming an obstruction to lateral removal of said cylinder, the distance between said obstruction and said roller normally being less than the diameter of said cylinder, a manually controlled member selectively movable in either of opposite directions from a neutral position, means perable by said manually controlled member when moved in one direction from said neutral position to move said roller into rolling engagement with said cylinder, means operable by said manually controlled member when moved in the opposite direction from said neutral position to a second position to move said roller away from said cylinder and beyond said predetermined distance whereby to enable removal of said cylinder laterally between said obstruction and said one roller, and a latch for latching said member in said second position against return to said neutral position, said latch being movable under influence of gravity from latching position to releasing position relative to said member, and said member being effective when in said second position to maintain said latch in latching position and efiective upon movement in said opposite direction beyond said second position to release said latch for movement to said releasing position.

11. In a printing press having a plate cylinder, spaced side frames, cylinder support means on said side frames at opposite ends of said cylinder, and means carried by one of said side frames and cooperable with one of said support means to effect axial movement of said one support means relative to said cylinder for selectively releasing said cylinder to permit lateral removal of said cylinder between said side frames or for rotatably supporting said cylinder; a form roller adjacent said cylinder, means for guiding said roller for movement toward and away from rolling engagement with said cylinder, means normally maintaining said roller a predetermined distance from said cylinder, means forming an obstruction to lateral removal of said cylinder, the distance between said obstruction and said roller normally being less than the diameter of said cylinder, and control means comprising a device selectively movable to one position to move said roller into rolling engagement with said cylinder and selectively movable to a second position to move said roller away from said cylinder and beyond said predetermined distance whereby to enable removal of said cylinder laterally between said obstruction and said roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,329,325 Mascord Ian. 27, 1930 2,170,025 Jordhoy Aug. 22, 1939 2,205,720 Goebel et a1. June 25, 1940 2,270,272 Davidson Jan. 20, 1942 2,387,750 Davidson Oct. 30, 1945 2,460,504 Huebner Feb. 1, 1949 2,539,383 Davidson Jan. 30, 1951 2,778,302 Reinartz Jan. 22, 1957 

1. IN A PRINTING PRESS HAVING A PLATE CYLINDER, A FRAME, CYLINDER SUPPORT MEANS ON SAID FRAME AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID CYLINDER, AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FRAME AND COOPERABLE WITH ONE OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS TO EFFECT AXIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME AND SAID CYLINDER, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A PAIR OF FORM ROLLERS, ROLLER SUPPORTS SUPPORTING SAID ROLLERS FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT A COMMON AXIS INTO AND OUT OF ROLLING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CYLINDER, MOTOR MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID PRESS, MEANS FOR CONTROLLING SAID MOTOR MEANS TO START AND STOP SAID PRESS, A CONTROL DEVICE INCLUDING AN ACTUATING MEMBER, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID CONTROLLING MEANS UPON STOPPING SAID PRESS FOR MOVING SAID ACTUATING MEMBER IN ONE DIRECTION TO A PREDETERMINED POSITION, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATING MEMBER TO SAID POSITION TO MOVE SAID SUPPORTS WHEREBY TO MOVE BOTH SAID ROLLERS A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM SAID CYLINDER, MEANS FORMING AN OBSTRUCTION NORMALLY PREVENTING LATERAL REMOVAL OR REPLACEMENT OF SAID CYLINDER, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID OBSTRUCTION AND ONE OF SAID ROLLERS BEING NORMALLY LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID CYLINDER, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID ACTUATING MEMBER IN SAID ONE DIRECTION BEYOND SAID PREDETERMINED POSITION, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO FURTHER MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATING MEMBER IN SAID ONE DIRECTION FOR SWINGING SAID ONE ROLLER AWAY FROM SAID OBSTRUCTION SUFFICIENTLY TO PERMIT LATERAL REMOVAL OR REPLACEMENT OF SAID CYLINDER BETWEEN SAID OBSTRUCTION AND SAID ONE ROLLER. 